Article 1: Pregnancy to Birthing
By: Andrea
So I had my second child last October. My first was, well…my
first. We all know things go better the second time around. Not that I was a
horrible mom the first time. I just didn’t know what I was doing even with 15
years of working with kids from infancy to late teens, none of it really
applied to my own kid. So the second time around I was determined to do things
more natural. I did things natural with my first but I was not as educated as I
could have been.
My first pregnancy and birthing goals: simple, eat good and
no meds for a natural birth. Outcome, chemical loaded diet (unknown to me at
the time), and no meds had no idea what I was doing natural birth. Should I say
painful? That’s a given with an unmediated birth. So I will just say it hurt…a
lot…more than anything I’ve ever been through…ever.
After losing 50 pounds I found myself at the healthiest and
cleanest I’ve been my whole life. My PCOS was absent so my cycles started to be
regular for the first time in my life and I found myself pregnant with my
second child. It was time to revisit my old goals of pregnancy and birthing
naturally. Keep my paleo diet was easy beside the cravings. I was ok with that
as long as I held it to one or two a week. It was my birth of my child I focused on the most. Here were my goals, why they are
important to me and how I accomplished them.
From Beginning to End:
Be surprised in gender. With our first we were surprised and
it was amazing to be fully introduced to our daughter and we wanted the same. It’s
the same way most women in history have done it. It’s only recently that we
have technology to give us this information. Also we don’t know the full effect
of ultrasound on a baby.
Goal 1: Deliver at a birthing center. Why? I delivered at
the hospital the first time and it went well. I needed to meet the requirements
for the birth center health wise. So it was really up to my body the most. No
high blood pressure for example. Result: My health stayed in great shape even
after gaining almost 60 pounds (I gain a tone of water weight with pregnancy)
and I delivered at 41.2 weeks to a 9lb13oz baby boy.
Goal 2: Use a midwife. Why: A midwife will follow ones
guidelines for birth and help a mom through it. Only taking action when safety
of mom and baby is required. Result: I’m lucky. My sister in law is my midwife
and she is awesome. She was on board with everything I wanted and guided me
with her educated knowledge.
Goal 3: Labor at home until it was time to go to birthing
center. Why? If one rushed to the hospital too soon in labor in can actually
slow down the process. I wanted that familiar home to be calm and move things
along at its own pace. Result: I went into labor at 12:30am. Labored at home
for two hours, letting my husband sleep. I knew he needed it to be alert later
on when I was exhausted. I went into the birth center when my contractions were
3 minutes apart. (I have fast labors, my first was 6 hours, this one was 9)
Goal 4: Know more about the birthing process. Why? I didn’t
take any class the first time. I watched 4 natural child births and I thought I
could do it. None of those were first time births. I felt like I didn’t know
what was happening last time. Out of control. I wanted to know more about natural
birth. Result: I took a Bradley Method class which was focused on husband
coached natural childbirth. It was amazing. My husband thought it cost too much
but in the end he thought it was worth it as well.
Goal 5: No medicine for labor. Why? We don’t know the full
effects of any meds on baby. Doctors tell us they are safe but there are
studies out there that say different. We do know that induction labors and
births are longer because it also relaxes baby. Result: No meds!!!
Goal 6: Know different positions for labor. Why? I labored
on my side and back for my first. Didn’t know what else to do. Result: I
labored in a birthing tub and every position possible. I the end I ended up in
a bed. Baby was facing up and not down. He turned himself once I was on my
back.
Goal 7: Have some family at B.C. Why? I wanted my daughter
to be there as well and my mom and dad. Result: Who was in the room: My
husband, my daughter, My mom and dad, My midwife, My friend (who was getting
her RN degree), My photographer, Student Midwife
Goal 8: Educate my daughter about the birthing process so
she can attend (she was 6.5yrs). Why? Since I’m a teacher I thought that my
daughter would love seeing her sibling come into the world. She attending one
Bradley class with us, and I explained the process with her on her level
throughout pregnancy also. Watched some natural birth DVD and answered any
questions. Result: She loved it! My friend RN did a great job at taking care of
her during labor. Explaining things and reading books. My daughter even joined
my in the tub for a bit and rubbed my back and gave me many kisses. In the end
she plugged her ears because mommy was loud. But she loved it as you can see.
Goal 9: No meds for baby after. Why? Why? Why get meds if
it’s not needed. I’m negative for everything so we choose no eye goop. We want
our child to see mom for nursing to create that bond. Result: We did choose
Vitamin K shot as it is in a neonatal dose. It’s for blood clotting. A baby’s
blood does not clot until around day 8. We thought is case of an accident this
would be a safe thing.
Goal 10: I pull my baby out, Why? My husband helped with my
first and he was helping this time. But I wanted to help also. Result: My
hands, my husband’s hand, my midwifes hands in the photo to the right.
Goal 11: Delayed Cord Clamping. Why? There are studies that
prove to delay cord clamping reduces the risk of jaundice. Delayed cord
clamping give the time needed for the entire baby’s blood from placenta and
cord to go into baby. Cord is clamped when it stops pulsing.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263181.php
Result: This happened. My daughter
and husband cut the cord when it was time.
Goal 12: Skin to Skin right away. Why? This helps regulate
baby’s body temperature and breathing. It also calms baby down from the
dramatic experience of birth. Result: He laid on me for about 30 minutes, maybe
longer. I don’t really recall time on this one.
Goal 13: Nursing within 15 min. Why? This helps with
bonding, and for a placenta to release from uterus wall. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/806325
Result: Nursing within 15 minutes. Nursed like a champ! Only
left after a while to get weighted and measured. No bath.
Goal 14: No bath – keep the vernix. Why? Vernix is proven to
help moisturize skin and is absorbed back in the skin. It also has antimicrobial properties.
Result: He didn’t have that much, but it was absorbed within
two hours. No bath for him. He didn’t have much as you can see.
Goal 15: If boy – delay circumcise. Why? Really? Cut the
little guy after he just squeezed himself through the birth cannel? Let the
little man heal before trimming off extra skin. As for why… my husband did the
research and made that decision. It’s based off health and religious beliefs. Results:
We waited until he was six days old. It went well and it healed awesome.
Goal 16: Go home same day. Why? I want to sleep in my own
bed. Results: After seven hours of recovery at the birth center we went home a
family of four. As for sleeping in my bed…that didn’t happen until later.
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